Executive Director, Digital Governance and Portfolio Management

New York Blood Center Enterprises•Rye, NY

18h

About The Position

The Executive Director, Digital Governance and Portfolio Management is a senior leader responsible for establishing and operating governance, regulatory compliance, risk management, and portfolio management practices for the company’s consolidated IT and digital organization. Reporting to the Chief Information Officer, the role partners with enterprise executives and business partners, IT leaders across Infrastructure, AI/Data and Analytics, and Applications, and the Enterprise Project Management team. The position is accountable for the enterprise IT governance framework, the IT project and product portfolio, and the compliance posture of computerized systems supporting FDA-regulated operations, including ERP, laboratory applications, and other GxP-relevant platforms. The role establishes policies, controls, risk practices, and audit-readiness capabilities that support secure operations and compliance with applicable FDA and other regulatory requirements. It works closely with Quality, Regulatory Affairs, Security, Legal, and Finance, and represents IT Governance, Compliance & Portfolio in executive planning and strategic technology discussions. The Executive Director also supports the CIO with Office of the CIO responsibilities, oversees enterprise technology performance metrics, and leads a team responsible for governance, compliance, project management, and portfolio management. The position also oversees governance for technology vendors and contracts and supports business continuity and disaster recovery planning. For remote events, it manages the functional lead and their direct-report team, serves as technical owner for the supporting hardware and software platforms in partnership with IT peers, and establishes event-support planning and staffing processes with business partners.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related STEM field, or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience supplying the necessary knowledge, skills, and experience.
12–15+ years of progressive IT experience, including significant experience in IT governance, compliance, risk management, business process engineering, and/or portfolio or PMO leadership.
7+ years of experience in a healthcare, life sciences, pharmaceutical, or other FDA-regulated environment.
Demonstrated experience with FDA computerized-systems requirements, including validation/qualification practices, data integrity, and Computer Software Assurance principles.
Experience establishing or leading enterprise IT governance frameworks, policies, and standards.
Experience managing IT portfolios, including demand intake, prioritization, and investment reporting.
Experience leading audit-readiness activities and supporting regulatory inspections for IT/computerized systems.
Strong track record partnering with Infrastructure, Data/Analytics, and Applications teams to drive consistent governance practices.
Demonstrated ability to communicate governance, risk, and compliance matters to executive leadership.
Knowledge of IT governance frameworks, operating models, and policy management.
Knowledge of FDA requirements applicable to computerized systems in regulated healthcare or biologics manufacturing.
Knowledge of IT portfolio management, project/product intake, and PMO practices.
Knowledge of enterprise risk management, audit readiness, and controls frameworks.
Knowledge of vendor and contract management practices, including software licensing and framework agreements.
Knowledge of business continuity and disaster recovery planning principles.
Cultural competency and ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds.
Ability to establish and lead governance frameworks across a multidisciplinary technology organization.
Ability to translate regulatory requirements into practical, actionable IT controls and processes.
Ability to manage complex portfolios spanning infrastructure, data/AI, and business applications.
Ability to communicate effectively with executives, regulators, auditors, and technical staff.
Ability to balance compliance obligations with delivery speed and business needs.
Ability to build and scale governance, compliance, and portfolio functions in support of enterprise growth.
Ability to influence and collaborate across organizational boundaries and leadership teams.
Ability to make informed decisions amid ambiguity, regulatory scrutiny, and competing priorities.
Ability to develop future leaders through mentorship and coaching.
Ability to drive accountability and continuous improvement across governance and compliance practices.

Responsibilities

Establish and lead the enterprise IT governance framework, including decision rights, policy standards, and operating cadences across the consolidated digital organization.
Define and maintain IT policies, standards, and procedures for Infrastructure, AI/Data and Analytics, and Business Analysis/Enterprise Applications.
Lead governance forums, including architecture review, change advisory, demand intake, and project prioritization, to support consistent decision-making.
Partner with executive leadership and manage the Technology Governance Council to align IT governance with enterprise risk appetite and organizational objectives.
Own the IT policy lifecycle and ensure policies remain current, are communicated, and are adopted.
Ensure IT and computerized-systems practices comply with applicable FDA and other industry regulations, including 21 CFR Parts 210/211 and the 600-series biologics regulations.
Own the GxP computerized-systems inventory, risk-classification methodology, and qualification/validation program, incorporating Computer Software Assurance guidance.
Partner with Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs to maintain SOPs for system validation, change control, and periodic review.
Serve as the primary IT contact for FDA inspections, internal audits, and regulatory inquiries concerning computerized systems.
Monitor evolving FDA, USP, biologics, and other industry requirements and translate them into practical IT governance controls.
Take responsibility for departmental training at the enterprise level.
Own enterprise IT portfolio management, including demand intake, prioritization, capacity planning, and investment tracking across digital teams.
Establish a standard project and product intake framework balancing Infrastructure, Data/AI, and Business Applications priorities.
Provide senior leadership with portfolio reporting on status, risk, spend, and value realization.
Partner with Finance on IT budget planning, capital and operating expense forecasting, and business cases for major initiatives.
Drive adoption of consistent project delivery and PMO practices across the consolidated digital organization.
Ensure projects have defined ROI and success metrics before approach and launch.
Support enterprise IT risk assessments, including risk identification, scoring, remediation tracking, and reporting.
Ensure IT readiness for internal, external, and regulatory audits, including timely evidence gathering and issue remediation.
Support company-wide business continuity and disaster recovery planning for critical systems, including ERP, MES, laboratory applications, and helpdesk operations.
Track and report remediation of IT-related audit findings and regulatory observations; lead remediation planning and actions.
Establish governance practices for evaluating, onboarding, and managing key technology vendors and software contracts.
Support vendor risk assessments covering data security, business continuity, and regulatory considerations.
Manage company-wide technology contract and billing lifecycles.
Support the CIO by defining and taking on Office of the CIO duties.
Define and report monthly key performance metrics for the enterprise technology organization.
Partner with Infrastructure, AI/Data and Analytics, and Business Analysis/Enterprise Applications leaders to support a unified digital organization.
Represent IT Governance, Compliance, and Portfolio functions in enterprise strategy discussions and other forums.
Champion accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement across the digital organization.
Manage the functional lead and their team of direct reports in ensuring successful remote events.
Serve with IT peers as technical owner for hardware and software platforms supporting remote events.
Establish an event support and staffing planning process with event-team business partners.
Build, lead, and develop a team responsible for IT governance, compliance, project management, and portfolio management.
Establish clear roles, workflows, and career development paths for governance, relationship management, and PMO staff.
Manage performance, coaching, and professional development for direct reports.
Foster collaboration between the new function and delivery teams across the consolidated digital organization.